Staff Member Exploits Resident's Credit Card for Personal Use
Penalty
Summary
A staff member at the facility exploited a resident financially by using the resident's credit card to pay a personal cell phone bill. The resident, who was dependent on staff for mobility and required full assistance, frequently gave staff her credit or debit card to purchase soda from the vending machine, as she was unable to access it herself. After the resident was discharged, her bank notified her of an overdraft charge related to a cellular phone bill, which she did not authorize. A police investigation determined that the account holder for the cellular phone bill was a staff member who had worked at the facility during the resident's stay. Multiple staff interviews confirmed that it was common practice for residents, especially those who were bedbound, to give staff money or cards to purchase items from vending machines. Several staff members admitted to accepting residents' cards or cash to buy soda, while others stated they refused to take cards but acknowledged the practice was widespread. The facility's policies and employee handbook prohibited financial exploitation and the use of personal cell phones during work, but staff reported that cell phones were often present at the nurses' station and sometimes carried in pockets. The policy lacked specific direction regarding the handling of residents' credit, debit, or cash app cards. The resident involved had significant medical needs, including paraplegia, stage four pressure ulcers, osteomyelitis, diabetes, anxiety, and depression, and was cognitively intact. The incident was discovered after the resident's discharge, when she noticed the unauthorized charge and contacted the police. Staff schedules and timecards confirmed that the implicated staff member worked in the area where the resident lived during the relevant period. The facility did not identify other residents who reported misuse of their cards, but staff acknowledged that the practice of taking residents' cards for vending machine purchases had been ongoing.